1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to laboratory technology and specifically to a new and improved rack of test tubes suitable for use in diagnostic methods.
2. Background of the Invention
It is known to provide multi-well racks for test tubes. Conventionally, the wells may be located at the intersections of mutually perpendicular columns and rows aligned with 1AS alphanumeric markings along perpendicular edges of the rack. Alternatively, instead of employing alphanumeric markings along the rack edges, in order to assist laboratory personnel in properly orienting the racks, markings may be applied at a corner as shown, for example, at 42 in FIG. 5, or a corner of the rack may be chamfered as shown at 44 in FIG. 6. Test tubes are supported in the wells. If the tubes are not labeled, and if more than one tube is removed from the rack at any given time, errors may be made when returning the tubes to the rack. The tubes may also be manually marked with an alphanumerical designation to identify their appropriate positions in the array of wells. In addition to being time consuming and laborious, this practice can also lead to errors caused by laboratory technicians either mislabeling the tubes or again, returning properly labeled tubes to the wrong wells.
In one embodiment of the present invention, these problems are avoided, or at least significantly minimized, by simultaneously marking all of the test tubes in a given rack with alphanumeric indicia corresponding to the alphanumeric indicia identifying the wells within which the test tubes are to be located. Preferably, the wells are open bottomed to expose the lower tube ends, and the alphanumeric markings are applied to the thus exposed tube bottoms.
Alternatively, the racks may be oriented by reference to visible features, e.g., corner markings or chamfers.
The wells may have closed bottoms, in which case the tubes are marked prior to being placed in the racks.
A matrix of tubes may be assembled on mandrels, indicia printed on the matrix of tubes, and the entire matrix then transferred into a rack such that each tube is located in its predetermined location.
In still another embodiment, the tubes may be marked with a laser before being placed in either a labeled or unlabeled rack.